The Government will not push through proposals that churches argue would restrict their ability to deny jobs to gay people and transsexuals, Equality Minister Harriet Harman has confirmed.

Olympic Anti-Discrimination Clause Introduced

Following the controversy that surrounded Russia’s anti-gay laws in the runup to the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has introduced a specific anti-discrimination clause to its host city contract.

In a letter to prospective bidders for the 2022 Winter Olympics informing them of changes to the contract, which acts as a binding agreement between the IOC and the winning city, the director of sport, Christopher Dubi, said the new clause would be based on principle 6 of the Olympic charter.

The clause reads: “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic movement.”

In the letter, Dubi informs bidders that “an express reference was included to the prohibition of any form of discrimination, using the wording of fundamental principle 6 of the Olympic charter”.

On the eve of the Sochi Olympics, the Guardian revealed that more than 50 current and former Olympians – including 12 competing in the 2014 Games – had called on the Russian authorities to reconsider new laws that banned “gay propaganda” aimed at under-18s and had led to a wave of homophobic attacks.

Some of the 52 Olympians, with dozens of medals between them and including 12 Sochi competitors, also criticised the IOC and multinational sponsors for not doing more to force Vladimir Putin’s administration to scale back the legislation.